It’s good and bad that Martial Arts history doesn’t mean too much these days.
It’s good in the sense that we now have a fair platform that allows people citing history as evidence of their martial art’s effectiveness to put their money where their mouth is: Mixed Martial Arts.
It’s bad in the sense that the religious fervor about some of those arts – I’m thinking of China’s so-called “internal” martial arts here - is, like the Flying Spaghetti Monster, flying in the face of recorded History (read these articles).
Although the comparisons between the MMA vs. IMA debate and the Science vs. Religion debate are interesting, I’m not here to talk about religion. I’m here to talk about Chinese Martial Arts, specifically Shuaijiao.
Now, I’m not going to prove that those so-called “internal” arts work against an aggressive, resisting opponent. The onus is on those who claim their “internal” style to be effective to prove that. However, I am not shy to rub feathers the wrong way by saying this: Shuaijiao provides pretty much the ONLY traditional Chinese Martial Arts techniques that you see used consistently in MMA in China today. I qualify my statement with China, because there are skilled Shuaijiao practitioners fighting in MMA in China.
Here is proof. Watch this. It is a clip from Greater China’s premier professional fighting promotion: The Art of War (In terms of viewership, the largest MMA event in the world).
The most spectacular movements were Shuaijiao throws and take downs from fighters trained in a mixture of disciplines including Shuaijiao along side other great fighting arts like Sanshou, BJJ, Muay Thai, Boxing, Freestyle, etc… In fact, most of these fighters have grown up in Shuaijiao cultures, i.e. the grasslands of Inner Mongolia where you wrestle as soon as you can walk, or Sports Institutes where Shuaijiao is an integral part of Sanda training.
Did you see any Taiji, or Bagua, Longfist or Wing Chun? No. Did you see Shuaijiao? Yes. Why did we see Shuaijiao and not see the “internal” arts?
It would be too easy to conclude that the reason is that Shuaijiao works as my friend and BJJ Blackbelt Chet Quint did… but is that the real reason?
Perhaps it’s that these professional athletes who train between 6 and 8 hours a day are not skilled/dedicated/intelligent/spiritual enough to master the “internal”? Or perhaps it’s that Communist China has long lost its real “internal” martial traditions? Or perhaps it’s that all the real techniques and “internal” strength can’t be used in MMA because they are lethal or would do too much damage?
Like Chet and many others in China, my experience is that Shuaijiao works in real life. Shuaijiao is combat-tested, and combat-effective, and has been that way for thousands of years…And that doesn’t fly in the face of recorded history. It is the ONLY traditional Chinese Martial Art that can stand along side the world’s other great fighting arts. (Modern Sanshou can stand on equal footing but it is not a traditional art. Interestingly, it’s effectiveness is largely a result of the Shuaijiao incorporated into it)
I could step over the line by saying that I think “internal” arts are a mumbo jumbo concoction on a par with the Flying Spaghetti Monster but that would be going too far.
Well, I encourage you to weigh in with your opinion/evidence.
Keep Smilin’
Michael
Greetings from cold and windy Seoul.I should be searching out for traditional Korean wrestling venues here, but I’m swamped with work right now and its absolutely freezing this week. I might try on the weekend.From my cozy hotel room I just visited the Beijing Wrestling Soho page and discovered some awesome photos posted by one of Li Ge’s fellow photography buffs. You can see his original post here. I just had to share them with you all.These are sensational photos. After seeing them I realize that Time Lapse photography and Shuaijiao make for very creative and exciting images. The black and white looks great too.Check them out!Michael
If you have a chance to meet and learn from Coach Ma count yourself very lucky. He is a lovely guy and has soooo much knowledge and experience that he shares openly. If you want to make it happen, you know who to call. If you can’t wait…well check 
